Compared to other animal fats, fatty fish (better known as fish oils) contain very little cholesterol. This is very beneficial to health because excess cholesterol can cause health problems. Increasing public awareness of the need for good nutrition to support health has encouraged increased consumption of fish oil in the world.
This is based on the fact that fish oils (especially fish) contain many polyunsaturated fatty acids (polyunsaturated fatty acids / PUFAs). Polyunsaturated fatty acids are very beneficial to the process of intelligence, vision, and the immune system. In addition, useful also in tackling the problem of atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) and coronary heart disease.
Sea Fish Better
Based on the accumulation of oil, the fish can be classified into two groups. First, groups of fish that keep oil in the liver (fish liver oil), such as mackerel, cod, and sharks. Second, groups of fish that keep oil in the meat (fish body oil), such as lemuru, whale, eel, tuna, mackerel, and herring.
Based on the content of its oil, fish can be grouped into: (1) little fatty fish (lean fish) with oil content less than 2 percent, (2) low fatty fish (low fat) with 24 percent oil content, (3) are fatty fish ( medium fat) with oil content of 48 percent, (4) fatty fish (high fat) with oil content of more than 8 percent.
Oil levels in fish vary widely, influenced by many factors: species (kinds) of fish, sex, level of maturity (age), season, spawning cycle, and geographic location. Composition of marine fish oil is more complex, containing unsaturated fatty acid chain length, which is more than freshwater fish.
Unsaturated fatty acid chain length in marine fish oils generally contain 18, 20, and 22 carbon atoms, which are connected by 36 double bond. While the fatty acid composition of freshwater fish generally contain 16 and 18 carbon atoms, which are connected by 13 double bond. The more carbon chain length and the greater the number of double bonds constituent fatty acids, the greater the role of these fatty acids for health.
Fatty fish consist of smaller units called fatty acids. Fatty acids in fish oil consists of three types, namely: (1) saturated fatty acid (do not have double bonds), for example palmitic acid, myristic acid, and stearic acid, (2) monounsaturated fatty acid (having one double bond) , for example, oleic, and (3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (having more than one double bond), for example, linoleic, linolenic, arachidonic (AA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA). DHA many marine fish species found in salmon, tuna (especially bluefin tuna which has five times more DHA), sardines, herring, mackerel, and shellfish. Generally, fish oils contain about 25 percent saturated fatty acids and 75 percent unsaturated fatty acids.
Reduced Death Risk
Epidemiological studies have shown there is an inverse relationship between fish consumption and the incidence of coronary heart disease. In the group who ate fish at least 30 grams a day, the risk of death from coronary heart disease was reduced 50 percent compared to the group who did not consume fish. Active substances that play an important role in the relationship is Omega-3 fatty acids.
Different fish oils with vegetable oils and land animals. Fish oil generally has a composition of fatty acids with carbon chain length and double bond that many (polyunsaturated fatty acids / PUFAs). Fatty acids in fish oil has Omega-3 configuration, whereas in plants and land animals contain very little omega-3 fatty acids it. More plant oils contain fatty acids Omega-6 berkonfigurasi than Omega-3.
Omega-3 fatty acids are dominant in fish is linolenic acid which is composed of 18 carbon atoms and 3 double bonds, eicosapentaenoic acid (eicosapentaenoic acid / EPA), which is composed of 20 carbon atoms and 5 double bonds, and docosahexaenoic acid (docosahexaenoic acid / DHA ) which is composed of 22 carbon atoms and 6 double bonds.
Omega-3 fatty acids often found in marine fish, such as lemuru, herring, mackerel, salmon, tuna and anchovies. Lemuru fish oil rich in EPA whose numbers may reach 7.1 g/100 g, while the tuna oil rich in DHA with the amount of 8.2 g/100 g.
Fish in cans is not a source of Omega-3 is good, because in the process, fish oil is intentionally discarded and replaced with palm oil, tomato sauce, or salt water as a soaking medium. Removal of oil purposely done so that fish can not easily rancid due teroksidasinya unsaturated fatty acids from fish.
Omega-3 fatty acids have proven very beneficial for health, namely: (1) be hypocholesterolemic (lowering blood cholesterol levels), (2) prevent it from occurring blood clotting pieces thus avoiding the blockage of blood vessels (atherosclerosis) and coronary heart disease prevention , (3) reduce the risk of diabetes mellitus (diabetes), hypertension (high blood pressure), various cancers, skin diseases, and help increase endurance, (4) plays an important role in the process of fetal brain growth.
Three Critical Period
In conjunction with Omega-3 activity, there are three critical periods in human life, ie during pregnancy, lactation, and infancy. During pregnancy, omega-3 fatty acids are transferred through the placenta to the fetus. During the period of breastfeeding, maternal diet obtained will influence the content of omega-3 fatty acids in milk. Thus, the food consumed by the mother during pregnancy and lactation should contain Omega-3 fatty acids in sufficient quantities, especially those derived from the consumption of fish or fish oil concentrates.
The toddler, Omega-3 will accumulate in the brain and retina of the eye. The development of the human brain since the baby still in the womb, until the first two years after birth.
Seeing the growth process of the brain is unique and takes place in a relatively short time, poor maternal nutritional status during pregnancy and breastfeeding will affect the growth and disruption of the brain, both in number and completeness of brain cells. The condition can affect memory and intelligence, which can continue into adulthood.
Given so many benefits from fish oil, some industries competing to make fish oil concentrates. The product is in the form of a mixture or pure, in the form of capsules of EPA and DHA. Concentrated fish oil is coated with gelatin as a patron.
Generally sold in the market is concentrated fish oil in gelatin capsules size 1 gram of vitamin E addition of 1 IU per gram as a stabilizer. This product has been developed by many countries (especially Japan and Korea) as a medicinal ingredient and / or nutritional supplements. Especially for children under five, fish oil is also traded in the form of syrup or emulsion.
World Health Organization (WHO) and the British Nutrition Foundation recommends the addition of DHA in infant formula with the recommended dose of 20 milligrams per kilogram of weight of a normal baby, or 40 milligrams per kilogram of weight premature babies. Adequate intake of DHA will help children to concentrate and make that hyperactive children became calmer.
Prof. Dr. Made Astawan
Lecturer in the Department of Food Technology and Nutrition - IPB
Source:
Tabloid Healthy Lifestyle
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